Sunday 30 September 2012

Factory: Manchester from Joy Division To Happy Mondays

In a dark, northern city in the late 70s, five dreamers built a record label - Factory; 3 classic bands - Joy Division, New Order and Happy Mondays, and Britain's first super club - The Hacienda.
Led by Tony Wilson, they created a unique collision between conceptual art and street music. This is the story of how a TV presenter (Wilson), an out of work actor (Alan Erasmus), an art student (Peter Saville), a DJ (Rob Gretton) and an aspiring record producer (Martin Hannett) pioneered Britain's independent pop culture, imagined a new Manchester, and blew a shed-load of money.
Featuring an extensive interview with Factory's creative genius Anthony Wilson who sadly died Friday 10 August 2007, this 90 minute documentary celebrates the triumph, tragedy and human comedy that was Factory and is a fitting tribute to Wilson's contribution to British pop culture and to Manchester.

Directed and Produced by Chris Rodley
Narrated by John Simm
Bonus:

Kristinn Hrafnsson interview

'It's like living in a space station'

Shove Alan Jones in a chaff bag

Richie Hawtin Live

Two words...

Fugn hippies!!!

Rolling Stone's 500 Worst Reviews of All Time

You can't erase or rewrite history, especially when it comes to record reviews. Some of Rolling Stone's greatest (or should that be worst) are currently being collated.
Sample gems include:
Hendrix: Are you experienced ~ "The poor quality of the songs, and the inanity of the lyrics, too often get in the way."
Byrds: Sweethearts of the rodeo ~ "It's really very uninvolved and not a difficult record to listen to."
Love: Forever changes ~ "It's weakest point is in the material. Some songs meander and lack real melodic substance."
Of course all 3 of those records went on to make Rolling Stone's 500 greatest records ever made list. Like I said, you can't rewrite history.
Click here to enjoy more of Rolling Stone's far from greatest moments.
(Thanx Stan!)

We are 4!!!

Madchester

Bonus:
The Stone Roses - Blood on the Turntable

Saturday 29 September 2012

The Mexican Mormon War

Obama does Jazz

Via
(Thanx Robin!)

Mark Eitzel - Don't Be A Stranger (Albumstream)

HERE

Leonard Cohen, Belgravia, London (1974)

“This was the first time I had met Leonard Cohen. I’d heard his album Songs From A Room when it came out and found it totally depressing, although it was a fave of lonely people on dark, rainy Sunday afternoons in bedsits everywhere. I went along with Melody Maker writer Roy Hollingsworth to do an interview and we found Lenny relaxing by a window with his bare feet up on his manager’s desk. To my great surprise, rather than sad, he turned out to be one of the funniest and witty characters I’d met. Since that day I’ve loved his music and can even enjoy Songs From A Room. He’s still one of the finest songwriter/poets on the planet!”
Photographer Barrie Wentzell